I think when people write stuff like this, they lose the right to a degree of privacy I try to grant listserv members. My response is first and his message to the moretprs listserv follows.
I am of the opinion that it speaks to the shame of America and shows how far we have fallen as a nation that we hem-hah, accomodate, make excuse, apologize, etc. for that which has been in the past, but sadly no longer is, our glory. Sadly we’ve fallen for and fully embraced the separation of Church & State lie which is based on a flimsy interpretation of a historical event (a statement which I’m sure many, perhaps here, vigorously disagree with…a debate for another time)
America has traditionally and historically been a nation, although with MANY faults, founded on CHRISTIAN principles. There was a time when that fact was recognized not only by the citizenry, but also by the government (when sadly now is for all intents and purposes, secular) Note TRINITY vs. U.S. 1892….. in which Justice Brewer noted that, “These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial delcarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.”
A quote commonly attributed to French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville alludes to the Source of America’s historical greatness:
I “I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests—and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning— and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution—and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!”
In the Christian scriptures, Jeremiah speaks eloquently of what we have done as a nation: “Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.”
All this to say …. when we make “accomodations” for who we are (better said….”who we were”) because we don’t want to offend someone, we deny the God whose hand of mercy and grace made us great and say like Israel of old …. “These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” We lie to the students to whom our passion should be to teach not only factoids, (or in our case, language) but above all, truth.
I in no way endorse haughtiness or arrogance in standing up for that (He) which made us a great nation. Yet, I also in no way support the notion that it is right or proper to be apologetic to Him Who once was the Source of this countries’s greatness.
In closing, I realize that some or perhaps many here, might say that this is not the forum for what I’ve said here. You may be right. Notwithstanding, I thank you for bearing with me.